


Five Years

by mountain_ash



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, First Kiss, Fluff, Future Fic, Lydia Martin & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Matchmaker Lydia, One Shot, derek has self-worth issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-08
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-05-04 01:14:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14581704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mountain_ash/pseuds/mountain_ash
Summary: It's been five years and Stiles can't let his feelings go. Good thing Lydia's the matchmaker he needs.





	Five Years

**Author's Note:**

> Based on [this](http://a-mountain-ash.tumblr.com/post/173555464640/barlowstreet-theresawerewolfinmybutt) post on tumblr!

_Derek: Happy Birthday, Stiles :)_

Stiles picked his phone out of his pocket at the vibration and smiled at it warmly when he saw the message. His thumbs were primed to reply when a second came in its stead.

_Derek: I know it’s a weeknight and I’m sure you’ve got homework or something but I’m in your neck of the woods on pack business and I was wondering if I could buy you a celebratory drink?_

He felt his heart rate pick up at the thought of grabbing a drink with the werewolf. He was actually supposed to get drinks with Lydia tonight. As much as Stiles wished he could meet with Derek alone, Lydia deserved a chance to see him as much Stiles did, so Stiles typed out his response before shoving his phone back in his pocket and jogging his way to the class he was now late for.

_Stiles: I was actually going to grab drinks with Lydia tonight, but I know she’d throttle me if I didn’t tell her you were coming. Wanna join us?_

His criminology professor shot him a dirty look as he tripped into class late and clambered into the closest desk he could find. Stiles only had two classes today and theoretically they were his favorite subjects, criminology and mythology, but he couldn’t focus on them.

He didn’t see Derek often, now that he was in college, and he’d really only seen much of him before that for a few months in Beacon Hills right around high school graduation. When the werewolf had reappeared, Stiles had been grateful he’d chosen the relatively close Stanford, but the proximity hadn’t ultimately been very helpful. After spending the summer helping Derek and Scott figure out Derek’s role in managing the Beacon Hills pack while Scott was at UC-Davis, Stiles had thought he and Derek were building towards something. They would spend hours at a time in Derek’s loft mapping out Beacon Hills’ vulnerable points, suspicious new members of the community, and possible allies in neighboring communities and towns aside from Satomi’s pack. Stiles even made sure to inform Derek of all the people they’d determined to be “not suspicious” from the time the werewolf had been away.

It hadn’t been all pack business though, which was why Stiles had thought it would lead to something more significant than it ultimately had. Some nights Derek would make hot chocolate when Stiles was running low on steam and they would stare out his huge windows to the peaceful rambles of Stiles’ thoughts. Other nights, Stiles would decide they were done with business and pull up a movie on the TV Derek had finally gotten. Derek never sat right next to Stiles, but he would let him lie across the majority of the couch and drape his feet over the werewolf’s lap. Sometimes Stiles would accidentally fall asleep on said couch and Derek would call the sheriff and tell him he’d be home in the morning. There was always fresh coffee, waffles, and the stirrings of hopeful affection making Stiles feel warm and full on those mornings.

Nothing had come of it, though. Derek had waved Stiles off after sharing one final movie night and then he was at Stanford. They texted occasionally, and Stiles saw him now and again when he came home for break and Derek wasn’t away visiting Isaac or Cora or Jackson, but it never changed. They always seemed to mean more to one another than the rest of the pack but never as much as Stiles wanted. He’d done his best to move on, but no one he met filled him with comfort, security, and warmth that Derek did. He’d not held any of them afloat under peril of death nor had any of them believed him on pure faith despite the power of a love spell. Simply none of them could compare. Yet here he was, five years later and he still hadn’t told him. Stiles would tonight.

~~~~~~~~~

Derek looked otherworldly when he stepped into the bar and found Stiles’ eyes from the entryway. He wore a forest green button-down with the sleeves rolled up tucked into slim black jeans that hugged his thighs in a way Stiles would never stop appreciating. His beard was trimmed shorter than last Stiles had seen him, barely a shadow present on his jaw. His eyes, though, were the same as always. Vibrant and warm, even from far across the dim pub. 

“Quick making heart eyes and wave or something.” Lydia hissed in his ear before shooting out of her chair at the small round table to wrap Derek in her arms as he fast approached. Stiles registered her words far too late and waved awkwardly from behind her back. “It’s good to see you, Derek. It’s been ages.”

“Good to see you too, Lydia.” Derek’s voice was deep and resonant despite the noise of the pub. It spurred Stiles into finally standing and pulling Derek into his arms as Lydia extricated herself. 

“Hi, Der. Long time no see.” He’d meant for it to come out playful and energetic, but he’d managed hopelessly wistful instead. Stiles couldn’t be certain whether Derek’s arms had tightened around him briefly before letting go. 

“It has. I was-“ Derek’s voice dropped off as he stared down at his feet suddenly before beginning again. “The pack missed you this summer.” 

Stiles tipped back on his heels and scrubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. _What had Derek been about to say?_ He ignored it best he could and turned to sit back in his seat, leaving the seat next to him for the werewolf.

“Ah well, you get offered an internship with the FBI, you can’t exactly turn it down, can you?” He knew his enthusiasm was forced and he didn’t miss Derek’s bereft frown, as though disappointed Stiles weren’t also sad he’d not been home that summer.

Lydia cleared her throat and stood. “First round’s on me. I’m getting a surprise for you, Stiles. What’ll you have Derek?”

“A porter would be great, thanks.” Derek answered quickly, as though grateful for the change of topic. 

“Am I gonna like what you’re getting me, Lyds?” Stiles called as he watched her flounce over to the bar, unfounded panic setting in at the reality of suddenly being alone with Derek. “Lydia?”

The warm chuckle beside him brought Stiles back to Derek smiling gently at him. “I think Lydia’s friend enough that she’ll try to get you something you’ll like on your birthday.”

“You know her well enough to know that’s not true.” Stiles needled in return, not willing to let his ridiculous outburst go undefended.

“Fair enough.” Derek cocked his head slightly to concede Stiles’ point.

Silence settled between them momentarily. Spans of empty inches that felt like miles separated Stiles’ knee from Derek’s under the table. The ease with which Stiles had once spread his legs along the couch to rest on Derek’s lap felt it belonged to a different version of him and he no longer knew how to cross this separation.

“So the FBI, huh? Is that really the path you’re thinking?” Derek’s voice broke the seconds-long heavy silence. He sounded as though he didn’t truly want to ask.

“Uh, I had thought so, but I’m not so sure anymore. Being a magical pack emissary in-training didn’t mesh so well with Bureau life. It was more of a headache than it was worth, so now I guess I’m back to square one.”

“Oh well that’s good.” Again, Derek’s reply came overly quick and he winced when Stiles shot him an incredulous look at the odd reply. “I mean, not good it didn’t work out. Good that you seem to be being careful. The Bureau is also kind of far, right? So that would’ve been…difficult.”

Derek cleared his throat loudly and Stiles regarded him with confusion. Why was he so tense tonight? Lydia returned blessedly at that moment, two drinks in hand.

“Did you not get yourself anything?” Stiles asked as he assessed the colorful drink set before him before giving it a sip. Derek had been right.

“I took a shot at the bar while I waited for these. I have a little Wolfsbane with me, Derek, if you were so inclined to feel your drink tonight.” Lydia met Derek’s gaze before letting her own drift subtly over to Stiles. “You seem a little tense, is all.”

“Oh, um, sure that would be great. Thanks. It was a long day.”

Stiles watched as Lydia uncorked the tiny vial she wore as a pendant and tipped the contents into Derek’s beer. He knew she wore it as a subtle warning against potential enemies. Typical citizens wouldn’t recognize the substance as anything other than slightly kitschy jewelry, but werewolves would know it for what it was.

With Lydia and alcohol present as vital social lubricant, the evening smoothed out gradually and Stiles felt the glow of his surprisingly strong drink rise to his skin. At some point early in his drink, he and Derek had moved closer to one another, though Stiles wasn’t certain who had begun the sojourn first. Their knees had crossed the chasm he could feel the contact tingle up his legs, making his stomach feel bubbly.

Lydia was steering the conversation but Stiles couldn’t stop himself from stealing glimpses at the werewolf, even when he wasn’t speaking. When he took the opportunity to tell a story, Stiles let his hands talk, pressing to Derek’s thigh or wrist as though he needed to capture his attention. Derek seemed to grow distracted when he did this and Stiles wondered why.

“Time for round 2?” Derek offered once Stiles had finally finished his drink.

“You’re not done with yours yet.” Stiles complained, mostly upset at the loss of the werewolf beside him as he stood from the table.

“The wolfsbane is pretty strong. It’s probably all I’ll have. What do you guys want?”

“A dry martini, please.” Lydia answered sweetly. 

“Shot of bourbon!” Was Stiles enthusiastic answer. When Derek shot him a skeptical eyebrow raise, Stiles replied with a cheeky wink, “What? I like both ends of the spectrum!”

Even in the dim light, Stiles could see the color rise in Derek’s cheeks as he turned towards the bar and he felt his heart pound in his ears. 

“I like both ends- What was that, Stiles?” Lydia demanded of him quietly, knowing Derek would hear if they spoke with normal volume.

“Flirting?” Stiles offered weakly.

“You’re supposed to be finally telling him how you feel, not hitting on him like a cheap bar hookup!” She had lost control of her volume but realized it immediately and pressed a fist to pursed lips in chagrin.

In panic, Stiles looked over at the bar to find Derek staring at him, a stricken look on his face and Stiles knew he’d heard Lydia’s raised voice. She took a moment to look between them before excusing herself to the restroom. Time seemed to stretch as Stiles continued to meet Derek’s gaze from across the pub until the werewolf was finally making his way back to Stiles with surety in his step that disappeared the moment he came to stand beside their table. Once there, he stood watching Stiles before shifting as though to sit in his chair and then moving away again to remain standing.

To stop his worry, Stiles reached out and grabbed Derek’s hand and the werewolf watched him with something akin to awe as Stiles tugged at him until he sat down.

“You heard that?” Stiles asked softly, despite knowing the answer.

“I did. But Stiles, if you’re not sure you-“

“Shh.” Stiles stopped the werewolf from traveling down the path of denial he was certainly heading towards with a finger to his lips. “In case those wolf ears of yours didn’t hear right, I’m supposed to be telling you how I feel.”

Derek’s cheeks turned deeper pink as he tipped his head towards his chest and Stiles could tell he was becoming overwhelmed. He took a shaky breath before diving in deep.

“I’ve wanted this- you- since you left after the Church.” Stiles paused and watched Derek’s eyes widen as he realized how long it had been since then. Five years. “At first I thought I just missed you, but I knew I had never missed anyone like that. It didn’t stop and it never got easier and then you came back and it was just so- so…”

He couldn't find the words he needed but when he looked back up at Derek, the werewolf didn’t seem to mind that he’d let his thought trail away. 

“I didn’t know.” Derek answered quietly. “You were spending so much time helping me prepare to take over the pack and then you stopped coming home as often on holidays and I…” He too trailed off sadly but Stiles knew what he was saying and he reached out to cup Derek’s cheek in his hand.

“You thought I was preparing you for when I didn’t come back at all.” Derek pressed his cheek into Stiles’ cupped palm in confirmation, finally raising his pale green eyes to meet Stiles’ gaze. “Is that why you never said anything?”

“I didn’t want you to stay because of me if you really wanted to leave.”

 “You are the only reason I would want to stay.”

Stiles felt his throat closing up with tears that threatened to fall out of anger that Derek still didn’t think himself worth staying for. He knew for certain that he could produce no more words and so he leaned across the chasm no longer so wide and pressed his lips firmly to Derek’s. The werewolf leaned into the kiss and then both broke into a fit of giggles when a flash went off and they looked over at Lydia assessing the photo with a smile.

“Thank heavens Derek has his eyes closed.”

Stiles smiled fondly at Derek. Good thing five years hadn’t been too late.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments always appreciated and come visit me on [tumblr](http://a-mountain-ash.tumblr.com/)!


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